Viewers did not know what hit them when “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe”, the first episode of South Park, was first broadcast. Matt Groening’s The Simpsons has already infiltrated the mainstream but no one was prepared for the foul-mouthed, take-no-prisoners rough and ready animation of South Park. Whether poking fun at Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise or miserable indie crooners Radiohead; no one was safe from the wrath of Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s venomous 4th grade cartoon creations.

Now renowned as the writers of globetrotting Broadway smash The Book Of Mormon and their brilliantly gung-ho puppet action movie satire Team America: World Police, Stone and Parker’s irreverent approach to humour ensured that the crazed adventures of Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Kenny, four schoolboys from the titular town in Colorado caused controversy wherever they went. Accusations flew and lawyers bristled over the barbed jibes about racism, homophobia and religion but whatever your sensibility, there is no denying that South Park covered issues that most programs on television wouldn’t dare tackle. It’s a brave, confronting and hilarious show, the reason it has been nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program sixteen times and winner four times. In 2004, Britain’s Channel 4 voted South Park the third-greatest cartoon of all time behind The Simpsons and Tom and Jerry.

Literally the butt of most of the show’s gags, potty-mouthed brat Cartman is a walking t-shirt quote machine. Kenny on the other hand was the silent type, never taking off his parka and is killed at some point during every episode, “Oh my God! They killed Kenny!” Everyman Stan, based on Parker, and Jewish Kyle, modelled on Stone, inevitably play the straight guys, an unenviable task against the one boy offense overload that is Cartman.

From the opening theme tune, performed by Primus, to a stellar line-up of guest stars including R&B legend Isaac Hayes as the school Chef, George Clooney as Sparky in “Big Gay Al’s Big Gay Boat Ride”, The Cure leader singer Robert Smith as himself in “Mecha-Streisand” and Jay Leno as Kitty in “Cartman’s Mom Is a Dirty Slut” pushed buttons. One quick glance at the episode titles and it’s obvious that South Park, despite its purposely juvenile style, is definitely not for kids.